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Liverpool set to announce departure of veteran Kolo Toure

Kolo Toure: Former Liverpool defender heading to Celtic

Liverpool are expected to confirm the departure of Kolo Toure on Friday when the Premier League publishes their list of players who will be made available on free transfers by their clubs.

Both the Liverpool Echo and the Daily Telegraph report that Toure, who joined the club under Brendan Rodgers in summer 2013, will not be offered a new deal at Anfield, and will be released upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the month.

Clubs will submit a list of released players to the Premier League, upon which the Ivorian is expected to feature when it is published this afternoon.

Signed from Manchester City on a free transfer three years ago, Toure made 71 appearances for the club, the last of which came in the Europa League final defeat to Sevilla in May.

After the game in Basel, Toure stated: “Of course I want to stay. It’s a great club to play in, but the manager has his plan and any decision I will respect. He is a top manager and he knows what he is doing.”

Neil Jones of the Liverpool Echo reports that Toure’s desire to continue playing regular football has led to his exit.

‘Liverpool considered offering Toure a coaching role with the club, but the player is keen to prolong his playing career and is now set to consider his options,’ Jones writes. ‘Monaco have expressed an interest according to reports in France.

‘Jurgen Klopp has already signed a centre back, Joel Matip, this summer and with teenager Joe Gomez to return to training for pre-season, and no European football to fill out the fixture list, the decision has been taken to let Toure, an influential and popular dressing-room figure, leave the club.’